operant conditioning in dogs is a type of learning that has to do with the development of new behaviors, and not with association between stimuli and reflex behaviors as occurs in classical conditioning.
The principles of operant conditioning were developed by B. F. Skinner, who was influenced by the research of Pavlov, Edward L. Thorndike, and Charles Darwin's theory of natural selection.
In this article on our site we will explain how to put it into practice and we will explain examples so that you understand what it is about. Keep reading:
Operant Conditioning Learning
In operant conditioning we act on the behaviors that the dog performs spontaneously and the consequences of their actions determine learning. Thus, pleasant consequences tend to strengthen a behavior. Instead, unpleasant consequences tend to weaken her.
By the same learning process, although with opposite consequences, some children learn not to touch the stove when it is hot. When they touch the stove they burn their hands. Then the behavior of touching the stove when it is on disappears because it has unpleasant consequences.
There are 5 points to consider when applying operant conditioning:
1. Reinforcement
The first point of operant conditioning is to reward the dog with something nice for him (food, toys or affectionate words) before a desirable behavior. This is known as positive reinforcement in dogs and it is a great way for the animal to understand what you expect of him.
Positive Reinforcement Example: When you tell your dog to sit, he does. At that moment we congratulate him and reward him for it with a treat.
We are indicating to the dog that this attitude pleases us and the reward is a behavior reinforcer that will encourage him to repeat this behavior. However, there is also negative reinforcement:
Example of negative reinforcement: The dog is afraid of other dogs, that's why he barks at them. When they walk away, the dog is no longer afraid. Then learn that barking can keep other dogs away.
two. The punishment"
In no case are we talking about hitting or scolding our dog. The punishment may consist of the end of a game or the removal of a toy. The goal is to decrease the frequency of a behavior.
Example of negative punishment: Our dog bites our hands when we play with him and the ball. Since it is an attitude that we do not like, we will end the game and leave him playing alone with the ball.
Don't forget that punishment is not recommended since the dog may not understand what has happened. Some dogs are not able to relate why a toy has been taken away or the game is over, they don't relate it to the bite.
Punishment is inappropriate for dogs suffering from stress, ailments or various behavioral problems as it can worsen and aggravate these situations. The animal that suffers physical or behavioral problems must be treated with affection and respect, preferably by a professional, always using positive reinforcement and ignoring behaviors that we do not like. These are situations that we must assess before starting to work with operant conditioning in dogs.
3. Extinction
It is the decrease in the frequency of a learned behavior, which occurs when the behavior stops being reinforced. In other words, the consequences that previously reinforced the behavior (prizes, congratulations, etc.) no longer exist
Example of behavior extinction: Imagine that when your dog was a puppy he greeted people by jumping on them, because they petted him and they played with him. So he learned that this is the correct way to greet people. One fine day, people stop petting and playing with him when he jumps. Instead, they turn their backs on him and ignore him. Over time your dog stops jumping to greet people. This occurs because the learned behavior (jumping on people) no longer has reinforcing consequences and, then, the extinction of the behavior occurs.
It is a good way to deal with the attitudes that we do not like in the dog without exposing him to punishment or fights. This process would be ideal for working on inappropriate behavior in a dog with serious behavior problems such as stress or anxiety.
4. Stimulus Control
Is the increase in the frequency of a behavior in the presence of a stimulus, but not in the presence of others. Stimulus control is easy to observe in dogs that have a advanced training in dog obedience.
Stimulus Control Example: When the dog is told to lie down, it lies down. He doesn't sit, he doesn't jump, he doesn't spin around. He just lies down. This occurs because the command to lie down has become the stimulus that controls behavior. Of course, the dog also lies down on other occasions that have nothing to do with training, such as when he is tired, because other stimuli control that behavior in other situations.
Working on training is an excellent way to treat many behaviors and behavior problems in dogs. In addition, it reinforces the behavior between human and dog.
